Lake Lanier Lost Nearly 1 Million Visitors in 2008

Early results have arrived from the 1071 Coalition study of the impact of low water levels on Lake Lanier business. There are two stand-out numbers:

• Lake Lanier lost nearly 1 Million visitors in 2008.
  
• Visits in 2009 were down over 13% compared to 2000.
  

The Gainesville Times is reporting that around 800,000 less visitors came to Lake Lanier in 2008 when compared to 2007. During the period the lake dropped from near full to near record lows.

Those lost visitors meants millions of dollars in lost revenue to local business. Marinas lost over $400,000 in concession income. Visitors that did come spent over $180 million in the area.